Truth from Dare: When tragedy strikes

One of the drawbacks to living in place as small as Honolulu is the need for some people to inflate things into something bigger than they are. Stories tend to get sensationalized as information is relayed over the coconut wireless or individuals desperate for attention often plant themselves in the middle of incidents they’re fairly far removed from.

People view a roadside memorial at the site of the auto crash that took the life of actor Paul Walker and another man on Monday, Dec. 2. (Associated Press)

My annoyance with this all too common occurrence is the way many people reacted to the tragic news about actor Paul Walker. They were quick to jump on the rumor that he was street racing to create a parallel to the movie franchise that made him famous.

Most bothersome to me was that many of these people had a public platform (i.e. news anchors, radio personalities, etc.) and an ability to fan the rumor flames in way others do not. More importantly, they have a responsibility to deliver the facts.

The bottom line? A talented person’s life came to an end way too soon. Rather than speculate and add to the gossip, a little respect could have been displayed instead.

In happier news, British Olympic diver Tom Daley recently came out of the closet. The superstar diver posted a video on YouTube that casually addressed the issue.

“Come spring this year, my life changed massively when I met someone,” he said. “And it made me feel so happy, so safe and everything just feels great. And, well, that someone is a guy.”

I love how he handled the issue without pomp and circumstance. No press conference. No magazine cover. Just a simple YouTube video likely shot on his computer. Definitely a sign of the times, illustrating that issues such as these aren’t that big of deal anymore.

An even more awesome twist to this story is that Daley’s significant other is Oscar Award-winner Dustin Lance Black, who is one of my all time favorite Hollywood heavyweights.

Nervo perform at The Republik on Saturday, Dec. 7. (Courtesy photo)

On another note, heavyweights of a different kind descend upon Honolulu this Saturday, Dec. 7. Australian-born twins Meriam and Olivia Nervo, known simply as Nervo, play The Republik in what promises to be one of the best dance parties of the year.

If the duo sounds familiar, their accomplishments include writing David Guetta’s “When Love Takes Over,” which was performed by Kelly Roland and released when the twins were only 18. Since then, they’ve won numerous awards and worked with big names like Afrojack, Steve Aoki, and Nicky Romero.

Their most recent single, “Hold On” was released earlier this year. Insider rumblings suggest the show is almost sold out, so if you want to check it out, I wouldn’t gamble on getting tickets at the door.———
When he’s not out and about at the hottest parties and other events in Honolulu, Derin “Dare” Derego works as an account executive at a local radio station group. Reach him via email at derinderego@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter.